November 2, 2011

We recently learned that, due to budget cuts, the British Navy is not able to deploy a surface warship to provide a 24 hour emergency response capability. Of course England is not at war right now even though her forces are involved in Afghanistan and, until recently on a limited basis in Libya.

But how much is enough in so-called peace time?

Truth be told, the US did not have a modern battleship until 1895 when three were added to the fleet: the USS Maine, USS Indiana and the USS Texas. The USS Massachusetts and the USS Oregon came on line a year later. Of course we lost one of them, the Maine, on 15 FEB 1898 which brought us into conflict with Spain. The cause of the explosion that sank the Maine is now questioned. In any event, the Maine was re-floated and then scuttled at sea in 1912.

From the following site, Naval History and Heritage Command, we see the US Navy increase it's capacity for surface warfare dramatically after the loss of the Maine and the declaration of war. Of course this involves the cooperation of Congress to approve the funds necessary to build these war craft. Look at the increase in size of the "Steel" Navy.

SPANISH - AMERICAN WAR

Date

Dec 1896

Dec 1898

Change

Battleship

5

6

20%

Cruiser

16

18

13%

Monitor

6

14

133%

Torpedo Boats

1

12

1100%

Steel Gunboats

11

34

209%

Auxiliaries

1

30

2900%

Screw Steamer

7

16

129%

Screw Sloops

6

4

-33%

Gunboats

5

25

400%

Sailing vessels

1

1

0%

Steel Navy

40

114

185%

Old Navy

19

46

142%

Total Active

59

160

171%

The Great White Fleet - 1907

For a decade after the end of the Spanish American War, the fleet grew to about 175-180 ships. Uncertain political conditions in Europe saw the fleet increase to 245 vessels prior to the commencement of WWI hostilities. Look at the difference in the number of battleships, destroyers and cruisers from the prior war against Spain. By Armistice Day our fleet had increased by over 200%. But this was nothing compared to what would happen to our Navy less than three decades later.

WORLD WAR I

Date

Dec 1916

Nov 1918

Change

Battleships

36

39

8%

Cruisers

30

31

3%

Monitor

3

7

133%

Destroyers

61

110

80%

Torpedo Boats/Frigates

18

17

-6%

Submarines

44

80

82%

Auxiliaries#

25

87

248%

Gunboats/Patrol

28

350

1150%

Total Active

245

774

216%

By 1924 the fleet had been reduced down to 137 surface warships and 376 total active vessels. However, the biggest decrease was in the number of gunboats, from 350 to only 37. The number of battleships and cruisers were reduced by almost a half. When the Great Depression hit, it got worse. Nothing changed much until the late 30's and then - 1940 when even the doves and isolationists in Congress saw the handwriting on the wall.

WORLD WAR II

Date

Jun 1940

Aug 1945

Change

Battleships

15

23

53%

Carriers, Fleet

6

28

367%

Carriers, Escort

0

71

n/a

Cruisers

37

72

95%

Destroyers

185

377

104%

Frigates

0

361

n/a

Submarines

64

232

263%

Mine Warfare

36

586

1528%

Patrol

19

1204

6237%

Amphibious

0

2547

n/a

Auxiliary

116

1267

992%

Surface Warships*

237

833

251%

Total Active

478

6768

1316%

*Surface warfare ship totals do not include submarines, mine warfare, patrol or auxiliaries

By 1943 the US Navy had more ships than all other combatant nations combined - that includes allied and enemy navies - the Brits, the Canadians, the Fwench, the Germans, the Japanese, the Italians, everyone.

The end of WWII saw peace dividends realized through the shrinking of our armed forces. By 1950 we were down to 634 warships, less than a tenth of our WWII levels. But as the Cold War heated up, our Navy increased again. By 1968, during the peak of the Vietnam War, we were at 932 warships

COLD WAR / VIETNAM

Date

Jun 1950

Jun 1968

Change

Battleships

1

1

0%

Carriers

15

23

53%

Cruisers

13

35

169%

Destroyers

137

219

60%

Frigates

10

50

400%

Submarines

72

148

106%

Mine Warfare

56

83

48%

Patrol

33

3

-91%

Amphibious

79

162

105%

Auxiliary

218

216

-1%

Surface Warships

161

296

84%

Total Active

634

932

47%

This didn't last long. As the Vietnam War ended and our nation transitioned to an all volunteer force (1973), our Navy shrunk by 44%; from 932 in 1968 to 523 by 1977. From then on, our highest level of active warships was under President Reagan - in 1987 we deployed 594 warships. It has been all downhill since then. In 2007 we are at our lowest naval strength since 1916; we were down to 278 ships. When President Bush took office, the Navy was at 318 ships; when he left it was 282. We are now at 285.

THE 21ST CENTURY

Date

Sep 2007

Sep 2011

Change

Carriers

11

11

0%

Cruisers

22

22

0%

Destroyers

52

61

17%

Frigates

30

26

-13%

LCS *

0

2

n/a

Submarines

53

53

0%

SSBN

14

14

0%

SSGN

4

4

0%

Mine Warfare

14

14

0%

Amphibious

33

31

-6%

Auxiliary

46

47

2%

Surface Warships

115

122

6%

Total Active

278

285

3%

The question still remains before us. How much is enough? Naval technology has come a long ways to be sure and the capabilities of our warships has changed accordingly. But it seems that our conflicts are not-state-of-the-art affairs, but more along the lines of combating low-tech thuggish cretins armed with AK-47's and butcher knives.

So if I'm wise I had better leave this question in the hands of military professionals who are vastly more qualified than I to render judgement. I know they are obsolete and expensive as all get out to man, but I'd sure feel better if we had an Iowa class battleship or three or six floating off the shores of Egypt, Palestine, Somalia, Iran and Venezuela. Just to piss them off.

November 1, 2011

Whatever happened to the cry,"Millions for defense but not a penny for tribute!" that served to straighten the backbone of many a right minded citizen?

Oh, that was the United States - uttered by Robert Harper in1797 after the fwench demanded a bribe to stop attacking our ships - not the British.

Apparently the Brits were not listening either then or now as their run-away social spending to keep the wogs and white trash happy (tribute) has stripped them of their ability to maintain simple, single ship coverage of their island in the event of an emergency.

No warships left defending Britain after Defence cutbacks

Defence cuts have left the stretched Royal Navy unable to provide an emergency standby ship to protect British waters for a month.

The Navy normally provides a minimum coverage of a frigate or destroyer fulfilling the role of Fleet Ready Escort (FRE) in order to be able to respond quickly to a potential threat at home or abroad.

However, slashed Defence budgets and the war in Libya has meant there hasn't been a vessel available since the start of October.

The last ship to fill the role, called the FRE, was HMS Portland but that left for war games off the coast of Scotland in October, and it is now having a rest period in Plymouth on the south coast.

Former First Sea Lord Admiral Lord Alan West said: "I would hardly say it is a luxury. If there was a terrorism incident in UK waters, this would historically be the ship sent in to deal with it.

"It's a big problem. If we haven't got a ship ready to do this role then it's worrying. It's a very unsatisfactory position to be in."

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